United Benefice of Altham and Clayton-le-Moors

Sixthteenth   Sunday after Trinity 

This service is live in church, but it will be streamed so if you are unable to attend you can view it online. Now most of the words will also appear when you view the service on line so it will be easier to follow the service.

However, below are the day’s readings plus the intercessions for reference, as there will not appear on screen.

First reading: James 3:13 – 4a

³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

4 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? ² You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

⁴ You adulterous people,^[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us^[b]?⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

Second reading: Mark 9:30 -37

³⁰ They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, ³¹ because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him,and after three days he will rise.” ³² But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it.

³³ They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?”³⁴ But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

³⁵ Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

³⁶ He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, ³⁷ “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”

Church Safeguarding training reminder

This is a reminder to those

• who have been newly appointed to the PCC or who still need to do their training,
• newly appointed to Sunday School volunteers,
• those on the Pastoral or Baptism teams who need to complete a refresher safeguarding training as it is over three years ago since they have done one.                                                                                  Anyone else who wants to, is also welcome to do it..

The safeguarding training can be completed on-line via the safeguarding portal link here

• Just sign in with your own email and password.
• On the next page you need to scan down and agree their terms
• Then on the next page select the ‘training’ block.

Which training course is for you?

 Those new to the PCC and Sunday School helpers just need to complete the Basic Awareness Course (C0)

If you are a coordinator or leader  who has not done any church safeguarding training please complete both the Basic Awareness course ( C0 ) and the Foundation course (C1).

Those postholders who are just doing a refresher please complete the Foundation course (C1).

When you have completed the course, you will be given an e-certificate. Pease can you send me a copy for my records. Thank you.

Elaine

Safeguarding officer

Covid update

I would like to update everyone on arrangements at All Saints’ Church regarding Covid-19.

Over the past 16 months we have complied with all the regulations as we sought to enable parishioners to worship in a safe environment and I want to thank everyone for doing what we have asked of them.

The wardens and I have now met to review these measures now that what was legally mandated is now up to local decision making.   We have agreed that our first priority must be to protect everyone and keep church as a safe place to attend whilst case numbers continue to increase.  We do, however, want to allow for congregational singing at 11am.  Therefore during the next few weeks the following measures will be in place:

Changes

• At 11am services the congregation can join in with singing the hymns, but face masks must be worn by those singing (other than the choir)
• When seated face masks may be removed
• The choir can be a little larger

Continuing unchanged at present

• Use of hand sanitiser on entry to and egress from church
• Social distancing (one metre plus rule – so alternate pews will still be out of use)
• Wearing masks whilst moving around the building
• Offering the peace from a distance
• One-way system (leaving via the vestry door at larger services)
• No refreshments after the service
• Holy Communion in one kind only and will not be introducing the chalice at this point
• Recording names and contact numbers of those attending for track and trace purposes

We will of course keep these measures under review and will communicate any changes as and when they are introduced.

Toby

 Christmas donations

Some people like to make a donation to the work of the church in thanks giving at Christmas. If you would like to do so, an easy way in the current circumstances is to use the following link –